CCS/HCS/SS/SS#3/SJR 35 - This joint resolution, if approved
by the voters, would revise the Missouri Citizen's Commission on
Compensation for Elected Officials. The Commission, created in
1994, sets salaries for judges, statewide elected officials and
members of the General Assembly. Under the current provisions,
the Commission may propose a different salary every two years and
the General Assembly may disapprove of the recommendations in
total, and if not disapproved, any such recommendations are
subject to appropriations. In 1997, the General Assembly
disapproved of the recommendations. The Supreme Court
subsequently found that disapproval flawed but the salaries
remained unchanged because money was not appropriated to fund the
increases. In 1999, the recommendations of the Commission took
effect and were funded but the Governor vetoed the increases,
based upon his reading of the Supreme Court's decision (above).

The resolution changes two features of the current
amendment. First, if this resolution is approved by the voters,
the General Assembly would no longer have the authority to
disapprove of the Commission's recommendations. Second, all of
the recommendations would be subject to appropriations just as
are the salaries of all other state employees.
DAVID VALENTINE